I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia tuesday, today it’s saturday I think and I don’t really know how to react, the word itself just puzzles me. I’m beginning to doubt it all and I have moments where I’m not sure what’s real or not, like I’m in this strange dream. I have these voices in my head telling me I’m a liar and that it’s just because I’m weak, and at the same time screaming schizo again and again. So the last few days I’ve been trying to keep busy and convincing myself that nothing is wrong with me - it’s like I’m floating and waiting to break down.
My mom tells me to just believe the doctors and begin taking the meds, I guess she’s very rational about it and worried. But I’m afraid of what the meds will take away, what if I’m left with nothing.
I don’t know if I should tell my friends, so I don’t really talk to anybody. I guess I feel very alone in all this and was wondering if there’s anyone who have any experiences about meds, telling people etc? I’ll take any advise right now.
They’ve come out with a new generation of anti-psych. med’s that are not nearly as unpleasant to take as the old generation. They do deprive you of a lot of physical strength, though. If you’re hearing voices or hallucinating in any other way you probably need to take medication.
I’m sorry about your recent diagnosis. It’s not the end of the world though. It takes time to find the right meds and get stable. It’s all trial and error because what works for one person may not work for another. This is a great forum. You’ll find a lot of support and you can post what you think are the craziest symptoms and people will tell you they’ve experienced that too. I rarely hear voices, but a lot of people on here experience that and can tell you what helps them. For me I have to pay close attention to my stress level because stress will aggravate my symptoms. Good luck! 
Thanks for the comments. I’ll consider taking the medication tonight. still feel kind of numb though.
Welcome to the forum @RitaH
Have you done much research into schizophrenia? It is a diagnoses not an end to anything. My son is diagnosed and I think that his brain produces too much dopamin. Medications help to control that. Take your time to learn about sz. I think that doing a little research on what it may be might be able to help you to understand what is happening to you.
There are a lot of posts on this forum, some dealing with the question of telling others. Here is one of those threads:
First off… I just want to say how sorry I am that you’ve landed in this boat. But, it sound like your Mom is being a very good and realistic support for you. (I’ve heard some people say that their family tells them to pray more and that will cure everything) Your mom is at least being realistic.
Your in a very confusing time. @SunGirl beat me to it when I wanted to say… it’s not the end of the world. Things are different, but not over. Just for reassurance, I’ve been “googling” famous people with Sz and the list gets longer every time. There are a lot of people coming out as Sz lately… artist, poets, musicians, nobel prize winners, professors, you name it. They had to take a different path and it was harder for them, but they made it.
Medication and therapy gave me my functioning life back and kept me out of hospital. I know at first meds feel weird. You will most likely hit a deep patch of boredom and negative symptom too. Get some support ready for this and talk to your Mom and get to know as much as you can about this illness. It will help you keep your insight.
A lot of people on here have amazing advice… keep reading and posting.
Welcome to the forum and I hope you keep finding answers.
Welcome to this forum, I am sure you will fit in here quite well! Yes it is bewildering when you first get diagnosed with SZ, I have had that diagnosis for 11 years now, but when I had my relapse in 2012 and they re-confirmed my diagnosis in hospital last year, it came as a shock and was confusing to me at first. Education is the key. Read up as much as you can about Schizophrenia, and get supportive family members informed, too.
I have experience in all this. It takes time to realize that the medication helps after a first episode or diagnosis. Sometimes people still lapse into not being able to recognize their symptoms. Taking medication consistently is vital to recovery. I don’t tell people I have schizophrenia, but I think you have a right to tell a friend if you feel they won’t pass judgement and if they shun you they aren’t a very good friend. Everyone is different. Some people have too much dopamine and some have too little dopamine activity. The dopamine theory is still just a theory we don’t have the full picture of what causes schizophrenia. I believe it has a genetic component to it. It will get better I thought it never would but years later my symptoms are almost nonexistent.
It’s good you’re catching the schizophrenia while you’re young because there are so many new treatments out there and recovery is key. If one medication doesn’t work for you, there are plenty of others. Being involved in other activities is also important as is therapy. It sounds like you have good family support. Building a strong support system will help you through the rough times. It may be overwhelming at first, so take it slow.
Thanks for sharing, helps a bit. I’m in this recovery program where they educate you about the illness, so hopefully it will make it easier. Thanks again.